Evergreen's ag arm reducing holdings in recent months

(News-Register staff) Evergreen Agriculture Enterprises has sold hundreds of acres of Yamhill County farmland for $11.6 million over the course of the past six months, as reported today in the News-Register.

The land sell-off comes comes against the backdrop of a Nov. 7 announcement by Evergreen International Airlines, Evergreen International Aviation’s principal remaining holding following the May sale of its helicopter division for $250 million, that it planned to lay off its 131 remaining employees and shut the doors at the end of the month.

Last week, the Job Growers Incorporated governing board adopted a rapid response strategy for the pending mass displacement of workers at Evergreen, said Elizabeth Cox Brand, spokeswoman for the state Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development.

The ag subsidiary lists three subsidiaries of its own, Evergreen Orchards, Evergreen Vineyards and Evergreen Nursery. However, the state’s business registry now lists the latter two as “inactive.”

The vineyards operation closed one of its tasting rooms last year. It closed its other tasting room and laid off its remaining employees at the end of October.